Treating a snakebite

Question

Question: (1) In Bengal there are many snakes, and they often bite. At the time no Muslim who treats is to be found, so people are treated by Hindus. They treat by incantation (whispering and blowing). What is the ruling on having them perform incantation? (2) Sometimes these people keep moving their hands and determine whether the venom has gone down or still remains. What is the ruling on holding a belief (iʿtiqad) in this? (3) If you have any treatment for this, kindly write it.

Answer

(1) If it is established that in this incantation they recite words of shirk, then having them perform incantation is not permissible; if it is merely a possibility, it is makruh. (2) This is a matter of experience: whoever has the experience will be able to tell. It is not a Sharʿi matter of belief from which there would be danger to iman.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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